One Day At A Time [ATEEZ]

Twenty-Three

2020, October

"Here's your drink, Sir," I smile and bow my head at the customer. "Please come again."

"Thank you," the customer smiles back before turning around and leaving the cafe.

As the last customer leaves, I give myself a little stretch and hear my back crack. The cafe was quite busy and I had to prepare so many orders by myself because Gaeun took the day off so that she and Yeosang could spend their 100th day together and the other part-timer called in sick.

I look at the only customer sitting in the cafe and smile. Yena came to cafe when her classes ended so that we could go home together when I'm done with work. She said that she had to translate a project so she's been on her laptop since she got here but since an hour ago, I noticed that she zoned out every once in a while.

I take off my apron and go to her table and knock on it, "Ma'am, we have to close soon."

"Huh?" Yena snaps out of her thoughts and stares at me. "What time is it?"

"A bit past ten," I look at the wall clock before sitting in front of her. "You seem a bit... out of it today. Are you alright?"

"I, uh..." she sighs before massaging her temple, "no. I just can't think straight."

"What's wrong?" I reach my hand out and grab hers.

"One of my students has been absent this whole week so I called her mother to see if everything was alright and..." she closes her eyes and lets out a deep breath, "her father got into an accident last week."

"Oh no..."

"He passed away."

My heart drops as I hear this. Even me who doesn't know this child became sad knowing this, so how must Yena, her teacher, feel? I stand up and sit beside Yena, taking her in my arms.

"She's so young... not even ten years old," her voice begins shaking. "That poor thing is going to grow up without her father by her side. Even I have a hard time and I'm a grown up..."

I put her head on my shoulder and begin rubbing my hand up and down her arm to try and comfort her. She doesn't say anything else and just starts crying.

As I'm trying to soothe her, I see that the cafe manager, Ms. Yoo, is standing behind the counter and looking at me. I apologize to her with my eyes and she nods before starting to clean up.

I feel bad about making my boss clean up before closing but I can't just leave my girlfriend alone when she needs someone to comfort her...

After a couple of minutes, Yena's crying slowly comes to an end and I grab a tissue from the tissue box that's on the table and help her dry her tears.

"I told myself I wouldn't cry about this anymore..." Yena says with a small smile as she sniffles.

"As long as I'm here beside you, you can cry about anything," I take another tissue and give it to her so she can blow her nose.

"And I can make your shirt wet like this?" she asks as she raises the shoulder of my shirt, which is now all wet.

"I don't mind."

"God, my makeup is all probably messed up."

"Let me see," I cup her face. "Yea, your eye makeup is all smeared. But you're still pretty," I kiss her forehead as she chuckles.

"I have to go and fix my makeup before we go home."

"Alright, take your time," I lean back in the seat to let Yena get out. As she heads toward the ladies' room, I go and try to help with the rest of cleaning. "I'm so sorry that you had to clean up alone," I say as I grab a clean towel and begin cleaning the tables.